A framework for knowledge based educational decision support system Literature review

A framework for knowledge based educational decision support system - Literature review Example In the modern world of technological development and growing need of easy maintenance of data Knowledge base system are in huge demand. The systems based on Knowledge base are known as Knowledge base system.It mainly comprises of storing, organizing and the retrieval of data in an efficient way. This gives an insight of the relations, patterns and the principles behind certain decisions taken in a practical manner through proper understanding. This system can also be applied in Educational Decision Support System (EDSS) for an easy decision taking procedure in the educational institute and normalizing the procedure for management of institutional admissions. Background of knowledge based educational decision support system Knowledge based decision support system is mainly concerned with taking decision in critical situation which are mainly done by skilled personnel on a specific domain. The success of such a system is mainly dependent on the knowledge it comprises of in the system w hich can generalize the variation in the decision of the management through a computerized way provided on time (CEBE, 2006, p. 1). But as stated by the author it is not about taking decision for the user rather it is just providing access to the database of information which will help the user in taking decision regarding an issue which might arise in the process. In educational institutes the process of admission is a difficult task for the management to handle due to the variation in the educational backgrounds of the students applying for different courses of the institutes and abiding by the policies of the institution, the management not always takes the right decision in the selection process resulting in the difficulty in managing the enrollment process for the higher education. This gave rise to the requirement of the relational database management system of the educational statistics of different universities, campuses, schools; faculty members etc. under a centralized dat abase for an easy access to the entire information at one place and establish a department of statistics for the planning process. To achieve an effective decision making process the personnel need to understand the basics of the process and past experience on same type of situation is an important tool for an efficient and feasible outcome of the problems (Pheng, 2005, p. 2). Need of educational decision support system The admission procedures of different countries in the word are not the same way everywhere. These variations in the admission procedure give rise to the need of standardization of the process to help students for a proper evaluation and understanding of their knowledge and skills. There are various problems which arise due to these variations resulting in the need of an efficient educational decision support system (EDSS). These differences can be described as follows- The huge demand in higher education in this modern world needs a proper implementation process for the specific major subject selection for the students according to their merits and credibility. The social impact of the family plays a vital role in the selection process of the students but proper selection is required based on merits rather than influence from family. The evaluation process of students in several countries like Saudi Arabia adds an extra overhead for the students and they lose unnecessarily one year in their career for the selection process in their eligible courses. The government and the private university difference in selecting the major based on the financial capabilities need a process of standardization of the whole system. According to UNESCO, various countries like Saudi Arabia are facing challenges from the growing need of improving the quality and

Educational Enquiry Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Educational Enquiry - Assignment Example The outcome so far has been disappointing, though it may be that cognitive psychologists and neuroscientists will soon produce something finer.†Hargreaves argues current educational research is neither adequately cumulative nor relevant to teachers’ practical concerns for it to initiate the contribution required. He draws a contrast between the role of research in education, and role to the practice of medicine by means of evidence based medicine as a model. He claims few teachers use psychology, sociology, philosophy, and history. This makes the teachers work more effective (Reynolds & Trinder, 1997, pg 56) Hargreaves is not very explicit about the form he believes educational research should take. He is neglective of strict methodological problems that are faced by educational researchers. He seems to view the procedure of developing cumulative knowledge about the outcome of different pedagogical methods directly. The use of a standard in judging current educational re search that assumes direct and instrumental form of the relationship. Hargreaves argues educational research has failed to provide practitioners with the required knowledge about pedagogical strategies work, and those that do not ensure competence of the practitioner; he claims that it is not only terms of practical skills but familiarity with practice relevant to the research. While Hammersley points out that it is the language Hargreaves uses implies a commitment to a method that many would deem positivist that it values research that emulates the scientific approach.Hammersley challenges the assumption by arguing this type of evidence is effective in improving practice on the basis that scientific methods, and... This essay approves that the goals of learning in a social constructive perspective differ, and learning is characterized by the subjective reconstruction of society means, and models by carrying out negotiations of meaning in social interaction. Its focus is on interaction within the local setting because they are viewed as automatically related. It is noted that neither an individual learner’s activity nor the local micro culture can be understood without the consideration of the other. These changes the research that is learning compared with a cognitive constructionist research.Constructionism is associated with qualitative data where as sociocultural approaches the original data collection is qualitative because the focal point is on interactions, and dynamic. Learning opportunities arise but research is done on experiences and changes entailed. Many social cultural studies focus on learning as a transformation of identity to forefront the personal characteristics, and ha ve little to say about the system. This report makes a conclusion that learning technology research is presently dominated by a paradigm that divides the research into two types qualitative, and quantitative. The division is normal science in learning, and has provided an agreement that has permitted researchers to shun disagreements over fundamentals, and an outline for standard research training. The standard structure is under pressure from developing research methods that are relevant to learning. Educational research fails to supply a cumulated body of concrete knowledge about the effectiveness, and efficiency of different methods. May be paradigm could finally be resolved in the natural sciences, because the outcome of research was unreliable.

Factors Affecting Contrast In An Xray Image Health Essay

Factors Affecting Contrast In An Xray Image Health Essay To test resolution, a line pair guage is used. To measure MTF in an x-ray system, the sine wave equivalent of a line pair gauge is used. The closest distinguishable pair of cycles determines the best MTF, it is quoted in cycles per mm [2]. A common way to express the system resolution is to quote the frequency where the MTF is reduced to either 3%, 5% or 10% of the original height [3]. MTF and spatial frequency are related by MTF curves. Examples of MTF curves are given below; Mammography System: Fig 2: MTF curve for a mammography system [4]. Chest Radiography System: Fig 3: MTF curve for a typical chest X-ray. Three different detector types are indicated on the plot [5]. Fluoroscopy System: Fig 4: MTF curve for a Fluoroscopy system with plots shown for individual components of the imaging process. The film and the optics have excellent resolution. The MTF of the imge intensifier is shown to have a limiting resolution of approximately 4.8 cycles/mm. The TV camera is the worst in the series, it limits the MTF of the overall image during live fluoroscopy and videotaped imaging. [6] Question 2: Contrast is the variation in brightness or optical density across an image. Factors affecting contrast in an x-ray image include the tube output, or the kVp. This is a measure of the energy of the x-ray beam leaving the x-ray tube and passing through the patient to form an image. X-rays with higher kVp can penetrate deeper into materials. In an image with the correct kVp bone is white and soft tissues and air are gray/black. If the kVp is too high, the x-rays will pass through even dense bone, creating an image that is mostly black with indistinguishable features [7]. The opposite occurs when a kVp which is too low is used. The most suitable kVp depends on the feature under investigation. Also among the factors affecting the image contrast is the patient. The density, the atomic number Z and the thickness of the part of the patient being imaged. Denser tissue, tissue with higher Z or tissue of a greater thickness results in lighter areas on the image because they have blocked the x-r ay from exposing the image receptor. Variation in contrast occurs because tissues in the body attenuate x-rays differently. The human eye can percieve a difference of approximately 2% in contrast between adjacent areas [8]. The final influence on image contrast to be discussed here is the image receptor. In film imaging, the contrast of the resultant image depends on the sensitivity of the film used. To produce an image with the correct contrast, a film with corrresponding sensitivity must be chosen before imaging. In digital imaging, there is no fixed sensitivity. It has the advantage of being able to record the full range of exposures and digital processing after imaging can be used to improve the contrast in the image. Image contrast can be evaluated using a densiometer. This device emits light of a known energy. The light is reflected back from the image and detected by the densitometer. The difference in energy between emitted and detected light is used to compute the optical density (blackness) in that area. Since contrast is the variation in optical density, this method can be used to survey the contrast in the image. Question 3: The following description is based on an article from the NDT database [9]. Spatial resolution of an x-ray system is limitied by the size of the focal spot. Fourier analysis can be used to calculate the focal spot size. X-rays are passed through a test object with a known pattern. This test object is placed between the x-ray source and detector, the arrangement is shown in the figure below. The focal spot of the x-ray is not assumed to be point-like, as the detector is moved away from the source, the detected focal spot appears larger. Blurring of the image by the detector is included, this blurring is related to the point spread funtion (psf) of the detector. Otherwise, an ideal detector is assumed. Image deterioration due to noise is also factored into the description. Fig 5: Setup for determing the focal spot size. The X-ray source, the flat object, and the intensity distribution measured at the detector system lie in different planes for which different coordinate systems with the variables (x, y), (x, y) and (x, y) respectively, are used. This is done in order to include magnification effects in the calculations. The measurement of the x-ray transmission, t, is derived mathematically. This is done by convolving the intensity distribution of the focal spot f with the transmission profile of the flat object g and the detector point spread function d. Also, t is deteriorated by noise, which is taken into consideration by addition of a noise term n to the result of the convolution. In order to take into account the geometrical magnification, V, of the setup, these functions are represented in one of these planes (here the plane of the detector), whereby the physical magnification effects of the setup were observed before the convolution is accomplished, this is shown in the second part of the equation below. The magnification is the distance between the source and the detector system divided by the distance between the source and the object. The Convolution Theorem states that the Fourier transform of a convolution is the product of the Fourier transforms. Conversely, the Fourier transform of a product is the convolution of the Fourier transforms. Using the above equation, a deconvolution of t with gâ‚ ¬Ã‚  (â‚ ¬Ã‚  d yields an estimate of f. In a technique like this, a suitable test object is measured. The resulting image corresponds to a convolution of the test object with the intensity distribution of the focal spot and other factors. Information on the focal spot is derived from this measurement using knowledge on the test object and other influencing values which means that the convolution process is undone to a certain extent. Also, with the presented method an arbitrary two dimensional intensity distribution can be measured, regardless of shape. According to the convolution theorem, a convolution in the spatial domain corresponds to a point-by-point multiplication in the corresponding Fourier domain. Furthermore, according to the addition theorem, an addition in the spatial domain corresponds to an addition in the corresponding Fourier domain. (Note: lower case letters represent functions and upper case letters represent the Fourier transforms of the equivalent functions.) The initial equation now becomes; At certain spatial frequencies | N | can be significantly higher than| F Æ’-â‚ ¬Ã‚  P |. At these spatial frequencies division of T by P mainly increases noise and deteriorates the image quality. This is due to the fact, that information on F is lost at these spatial frequencies. For that reason, independently of the deconvolution method applied, all spatial frequencies which are contained with high intensity in | F | should be contained with high intensity in |P| in order that | FÆ’- P | is significantly larger than | N |. This means that the test object (in combination with the detector imaging properties) should contain the major spatial frequencies which are required to describe the focal spot with sufficient intensity. In this case F can be restored well at these spatial frequencies, which yields a good estimate of f. Question 4: Using a bar phantom similar to that used for determining resolution can lead to an error determining the focal spot size. This is because the line pairs are aligned in one direction only. For accurate measurement of the focal spot size, many images with the bar phantom at different angles would be necessary [10]. To overcome this problem, a star phantom is used. This is a disc of alternating Lead spokes and x-ray transparent material. At a particular diameter of the focal spot the image of the spokes blurs, i.e., adjacent spokes cannot be distinguished from each other. The diameter of the blur is an indication of the focal spot size [11]. Fig 6: Star pattern for testing focal spot size [12] Question 5: 5a. The most obvious parts of a CT scanner are the moving patient table and the gantry or tube. Conventional projection radiography is limited because it collapses 3D objects onto 2D images. CT has a rotating system of emission and detection and so it can give accurate 3D diagnostic information about the distribution of structures inside the body. Inside the gantry there is the X-ray tube, x-ray detectors and slip-rings. The X-ray beam is collimated and radiates in a fan-beam shape. The x-ray emitter and detectors rotate in the gantry to measure projections that form an image that is a slice though the body. There are brushes around the rotating slip-rings to transmit signals. In CT, the linear attenuation coefficient, ÃŽÂ ¼ is measured. This tells how much intensity is lost as the beam travels through the medium. This distribution of ÃŽÂ ¼ is the basis of image formation. There are two distinct motions of the x-ray beam relative to the patients body during CT imaging. One motion i s the scanning of the beam around the body. The other motion is the movement of the beam along the length of the body.   This is achieved by moving the body through the beam as it is rotating around Fig 7: External appearance of a CT scanner. [13] Fig 8: Basic schematic of the construction of a CT scanner. Fig 9: CT image quality and electromechanical acceptance tests. The Priority column indicates which of the tests are the most important. [14] 5b. CT images are formed by multiple intersecting projections. This is illustrated in the figure on the left. In the bottom right section, it is seen that the combination of the projections causes blurring in the final image. The blurring goes as 1/r, i.e., it is proportional to the distance from the centre point. The 2D Fourier transform of 1/r is 1/à Ã‚ . Since the inverse of 1/à Ã‚  is |à Ã‚ |, it is possible to compute the 2D Fourier Transform of the blurred image, multiply the Fourier transform of the resultant image by |à Ã‚ | and the calculate the inverse Fourier transform to obtain a sharper image [15]. Fig 10: On the left, unfiltered back projections and on the right, filtered back projections. The conversion is done in the spatial domain by convolving the projection with the IFT of |à Ã‚ |. Fig 11: The mathematics of the image reconstruction process, can be expressed compactly in the above equation, where the terms have been grouped to reflect the filtered-back-projection approach [15]. 5c. The fundamental system performance indicators are CT number, resolution, noise, and patient dose.26 The accuracy of CT numbers is measured by scanning a water-filled phantom at least monthly. The CT number for water should be zero over a 20-cm-diameter phantom, with a variation of less than 1 CT number. Deviation from the expected CT number of 0 for water at any energy is adjusted by applying a correction factor for the pixel value. Constancy of the value should be monitored with a daily scan. An overall check of system performance is obtained from semiannual measurements of CT image noise, defined as the standard deviation of CT numbers in a region of interest. Constancy of performance is checked by evaluation of the standard deviation in the daily water scan mentioned previously. Resolution is measured by scanning phantoms on a monthly basis. Of particular importance is low contrast resolution, which is a sensitive indicator of changes in component performance as they affect noise. Patient dose is evaluated semiannually. Specially designed ionization chambers provide measurements from which the dose may be calculated for the exposure conditions (narrow beam, variable slice thickness) used in CT. The values should agree with manufacturers specifications to within 20%. [hendee]

A Struggle for Acceptance of Gays Essay -- Homosexuality Religion Marr

A Struggle for Acceptance of Gays "When the dust settles and the pages of history are written, it will not be the angry defenders of intolerance who have made the difference, that reward will go to those who dared to step outside the safety of their privacy in order to expose and rout the prevailing prejudice." - John Shelby Spong Episcopal Bishop of the Diocese of Newark, NJ November 21, 1996 During World War II and especially the twenty years after brought great political and social changes to the U.S.. Undoubtedly, one of the major changes was the new awareness of homosexuality. If this new awareness was to the advantage or if it was really wanted by the gay and lesbian population is a question that arises; if they really had a choice in the matter is another. I think gays' relentless struggle for acceptance into mainstream society came from the American constitution itself. After all, the gay liberation movement started in America, the land of the free, where all men are created equal and with an inalienable right to pursue their own happiness. No one should be able to take these rights away from anyone. Also, in the 1950s, the civil rights movement became active and words like desegregation and equal rights for all became synonymous with the American way of life. Stand up and fight against those who have done you wrong! This is what gave homosexuals such a conviction to start fighting for their own cause. This paper will follow the progress of gay and lesbians in the twentieth century before, during and after World War II. What was their position in the armed forces during the war and what was government and military policy during and after the war on gays in the army and in government positions? How did gay and lesbians respond to the new policies after the war and why were organizations like the Mattachine Society and the Daughters of Bilitis founded? On December 7, 1941 at 7:55 a.m. local time, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. The Unites States declared war on Japan and was suddenly a participant in the largest war in the history of mankind. A massive military force of 12 million men was assembled. American soldiers were sent to Europe and Japan to participate and win the Big One. The military bureaucracy grew accordingly and thousands of new jobs were created. With the military's enormous demand for personnel... ...os Angeles newspaper in March 1953 linking "sexual deviates" with "security risks" who were banding together to wield "tremendous political power". The Mattachine Society was restructured, with a more transparent organization, and its leadership replaced. It also changed its aims to the assimilation of homosexuals into general society, which reflected its rejection of the notion of a homosexual minority. However the Society declined, and at its convention in May 1954 only forty-two members attended. The Mattachine Society produced the monthly periodical ONE Magazine , starting in January 1953 and eventually achieving a circulation of 5000 copies. The regular publication of the magazine ceased in 1968, but its publisher, ONE Inc., still exists. In January, 1955 the San Francisco branch of the Mattachine Society began a more scholarly journal, Mattachine Review , which lasted for ten years. The periodicals reached previously isolated individuals and helped Mattachine to become better known nationally. Chapters functioned in a number of USA cities through the 1960s. However, they failed to adapt to the radical militantism after the Stonewall Rebellion and faded away.

The Art of Bartending

Bartending is probably one of the few jobs where flair and moves get you the high pay. Serving drinks, tossing bottles in the air while making a drink in your mixer, attending to the clientele and keeping the bar well organized pretty much makes up the life of a bartender. JOB DESCRIPTION A bartender has four major functions in the bar. 1. Means of entertainment: In some bars, the bartender becomes part of the entertainment, for example in â€Å"Coyote Ugly â€Å"the bartender is the direct source of entertainment.Dave Acevedo, director of the Baltimore Bartender School LLC in Baltimore City, agrees, calling personality the most important ingredient. It's all about keeping people in your bar, he said. That means you have to entertain them. Half of your job is mixing drinks and the other half is entertaining the customers (Mosher 1) 2. Serving Drinks: Of course, bartenders aren’t bartenders if they don’t know how to mix drinks. A bartender must know how to mix the drin ks that customers request. Customers will look poorly at a bar with inexperienced bartenders.Take the time now to look at the second hand of your watch and allow 20 seconds to pass – it seems like an eternity. However, while the bartender is stirring or shaking, he or she also is putting on a show for the customers, and I've seen many people become almost mesmerized when watching a good bartender prepare a drink properly. (Reagan 44) Being a bartender shouldn’t be just about making and shaking drinks. It also has to have some entertainment value to it. Adding flair to the creation of your beverages could also mean bigger tips.This will also keep customers busy while your in the process of creating the drinks. 3. Payment and maintenance: Of course, bartender cannot keep serving drinks without collecting payments, also at the end of the day the bartenders have to take an inventory of the liquor and the glassware. Order must be maintained when running a bar. Bars cannot a fford to have a bartender breaking glassware or misplacing shakers because of lack of organization. In some bars, bartenders don’t need to do these duties because there are people called bar backs who attend to it 4.Clientele service: The bartenders’ main duty is to reflect the image and atmosphere of the bar. In reality, bartenders are like the information network of a bar. He/she has to be learned in some fields like sports or movies, sometimes even the profile and status of their patrons. REQUIREMENTS AND TRAINING *Completion of secondary school level is required *Completion of a college course or any course pertaining to drinks mixing *Responsible Beverage service certificate maybe required by the employer These of course are just technicalities. You don’t necessarily have to go to a bartending school to be an excellent bartender.Great bartenders usually start out as barbacks (a bartenders assistant) and take it from there. but if you have a reasonably price d bartending school in the immediate area it is suggested that you take the course just to get the â€Å"feel† of pouring and mixing drinks. The last thing a bartender wants is to get screamed at by the manager for under or over pouring drinks. Another advantage of going to bartender school is you get an idea on how to mix hundreds of different drinks, which of course a bartender needs. Experience really counts when you are hired. What makes Freeth such a cocktail whiz?â€Å"I've been involved in the industry since I was knee-high,† he explains. â€Å"I grew up in a pub, first worked in Ibiza at 16, ran bars at university, then did seasons in Crete and elsewhere. † He can add a degree in Leisure and Business Management and a Masters in Business Management and Entrepreneurship. Moreover, he is still only 25 (Sims 46). As you can see from his experience, growing up in a pub and going to different bars really gave him an edge in the business. PHYSICAL DEMANDS One o f the greatest physical demands that bartenders have to overcome is working the graveyard shift.Depending on the bars that you will work for a bartenders shift usually starts from around nine or ten in the evening to around five in the morning. This varies of course because some bars open earlier. This would throw your body clock into a fit especially if you are used to working the daylight shift. One other thing is you have to be able to know when a person is already intoxicated and know how to handle them â€Å"It's important because the liability now is on the bars and bartenders. If somebody drinks too much, goes out and gets in an accident, they have the right to sue the bartender,† Rich said.â€Å"Training protects the server as well as protecting everybody else. † (qtd. in Fenwick 1). More so, if that in the case of intoxication is a minor, a bartender could find himself in jail for serving alcoholic beverages to minors. The last thing a bar wants is a lawsuit o n one of their bartenders. STATISTICS According to the U. S Labor Department (Bureau of Labor statistics), 495,307 bartenders working in the country as of 2006, and the projected number of employed bartenders would reach 550, 952 by 2016. SALARY AND BENEFITS Average salary: $22,890, plus tips [Annual]Demand: Good. Bartending remains a good job for those with top skills, as people have more disposable income for entertainment. Competition can be tight for top jobs with good tips. Qualifications: Must be at least 21 and know local laws. Bartending school or on-the-job training; experience, personality, and talent will mean better jobs and tips. (Boston Globe U. 15) The values shown above vary if you’re on the level. If you’re taken by a five star hotel or restaurant, you could expect the wage to be higher. A bartender’s salary is around minimum wage.Ranging from around 10 to 12$ per hour gross. After taxes it would probably be around 7-8$ an hour. The real bulk of pay bartenders receive is the tip. A great bartender could earn twice his salary for remembering drinks or socializing with the establishments’ patrons. â€Å"A little bit of show makes more dough,† says Drobiarz with a smile (Lopez 1). This of course is an understatement when it comes to bartending. Some bars and restaurants give free meals during the shift of their bartenders. Most bartenders like most workers get paid holidays and vacations.In some cases, for bartenders that wok in hotels or restaurants like TGI Fridays, they get health insurance and the sort. INTERVIEW An interview with a Bartender in Toronto named â€Å"Renan Mendiola† gave me an idea of what a bartender’s life feels like. He said that the most important traits a bartender should have is attentiveness, flexibility and great memory. He says that a bartender’s life isn’t just mixing and pouring. It’s more of socializing with your customers. He says that it doesnâ €™t only keep you from getting bored, sometimes it also keeps the tips high.Sometimes keeping an open ear and giving good advice could really help in terms of tips. Works Cited Alexandra Fenwick. â€Å"Taking a shot: Training may be required for bartenders†. Knight Ridder Tribune Business News Washington: Feb 4, 2007. pg. 1 Boston Globe. â€Å"Hospitality and Food Service; [1 Edition]† Boston, Mass. : 15 October 2006. pg. U. 15 Lopez, Elias E. †Bartending instructor Mark Drobiarz teaches ABC's of mixing drinks: Bartending instructor Mark Drobiarz not only teaches his students the ABC's of mixing drinks, he also shows them how to add showmanship to their work† Knight Ridder Tribune Business News.Washington:25 December 2006. pg. 1 Mendiola, Renan. E-mail interview. 3-5 December 2007. Mosher, James. â€Å"Bartending industry is always changing and evolving†. The Daily Record. Baltimore, Md. :2 December 2005. pg. 1 â€Å"Occupation Report. † U . S Department of Labor. 15 December 2007 http://data. bls. gov/oep/nioem/empiohm. jsp Regan, Gary. â€Å"Instructor finds he can learn a thing or two from his bartending students. † Nation's Restaurant News. New York: 22 September 2003. Vol. 37, Iss. 38; pg. 44 Sims, Fiona. â€Å"Shaken all Over†. Caterer & Hotelkeeper. Sutton: Jul 1-July 7, 2004. Vol. 193, Iss. 4330; pg. 46

African American-European American Iat Essay

The version of the IAT, that I chose to take is the African American – European American IAT. There were a few steps in order to complete the test; the first step was to fill out information about myself. The questions that I answered were related to my age my educational status, nationality, religious beliefs and my current state of employment. The next step of the test was to choose either ‘E,† or ‘I,† to indicate my choice of African American for a picture of a African American or European American for a picture of a European American. The next series of questions asked me to select either African American grouped with â€Å"bad,† or European American with â€Å"good’. Another series of questions was visually posed this time with, African American grouped with good and European American grouped with bad. The results show that data suggests a strong automatic preference for European American’s compared to African Americans. My automatic preference was toward European Americans. The results of this test aren’t very surprising to me. In class we were told how the test would go, so I already knew what to expect. There was a small bit of doubt whether or not the test would indicate a strong preference for one or the other at all though, because I am Hispanic. I would have speculate that based on the fact that I grew up primarily in white suburbia in a private school that almost exclusively consisted of all white students, that my preference is a subconscious choice. I am most familiar with European Americans therefore I chose them over African Americans. There is a distinction between implicit attitudes and explicit attitudes, that distinction is simple. Implicit attitudes are the attitudes that we don’t think about, they are automatic. Explicit attitudes are the attitudes that are consciously controlled. According to Gawronski and Bodenhausen, in the text, Social Psychology,†Our automatic implicit attitudes regarding someone or something often differ from our consciously controlled, explicit attitudes†(p.51). From the results of the IAT that I took, I would have to say that my implicit attitudes towards African Americans, do not match my explicit attitudes about African Americans. The reason that I believe that my implicit attitudes are different from my explicit attitudes is that I usually make a conscious decision to be friendly and welcoming to any person that I come in contact with regardless of gender, race, age, or sexual orientation. The results are mildly surprising, however, I believe that I am more accustomed to being in the company of European Americans, and therefore I show a distinct implicit attitude favoring them. Implicit attitudes are a dangerous thing; we should pay particular attention to how we label people explicitly, so that with time, we can manipulate our unconscious attitudes and impulse reactions to certain people. A good example of problems that people run into with their improper mind set comes to us from our text, Social Psychology. Age is the example Bugental and Hehman used in 2007, when they discovered that people treat the elderly differently than they do people whom are younger, they explain that â€Å"People’s perceptions of the elderly- as generally kind but frail, incompetent, and unproductive- predispose patronizing behavior†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (p. 308). It’s that attitude that people hold about the elderly that according to Bugental and Hehman, â€Å"predispose patronizing behavior, such as baby-talk speech that leads elderly people to feel less competent and act less capably’ (p. 308). It is important that we change our thinking, because if we continue to have the same biases, we not only do our selves a disservice in being implicitly and or explicitly inappropriate in our attitudes, but we also risk the chance of hurting others in our actions. Works Cited Myers, D. C. (2010). Social psychology (10th ed. ). New York: McGraw-Hill. Pages 51,308 Psych 312 Extra Credit 10pts 5-8-13 Eli J. Guymon Gender – Career IAT The second test that I took was the gender – career IAT. Before the test began, I was asked to report my beliefs about women versus men in the work force and women versus men in the home life. The second set of questions asked me to fill out information about myself. The questions that I answered were, what is my age, my educational status, nationality, religious beliefs and my current state of employment. Following those questions were questions about my family growing up, they wanted to know if I had a mother as a primary care giver, and if she worked outside of the home, specifying what she did for a living, and if there was a secondary caregiver, such as a father or step father, where they employed outside the home, and what their occupation was. The next step of the test was to choose either ‘E,† or ‘I,† to indicate my choice. The groupings in the first series of visual concepts to match were men’s names with the word men and women’s names with the word women. The next step was to match men with career minded words and women with household related words. Finally in the final sets of matching words the groupings were reversed so that men and household related items were a pair and women with career minded words belonged together. According to the results, data suggested little or no association between male and female with career and family. I did not have a automatic preference. My explicit and implicit attitudes match, I do not consciously nor do I subconscious place anyone in a group that favors either individual in the work place or family. I am not surprised by my results because I was raised in a home where my mother was a primary care giver but I also received care giving from my step father. Both my mother and my step father worked outside of the home. Both my mother and my step father shared responsibilities equally except where one person seemed to enjoy a task more than the other, that partner would assume say a specific domestic role that the other was happy to not have to do. For an example of a domestic role that both of my parents needed to be done but one seemed to favor it over the other, grilling outside, was my step fathers domestic role because my mother did not enjoy doing that work, and my step father rarely did his own laundry, because it was a task that my mother felt comfortable doing by herself.

Psy essays

Psy essays Three reasons why a neuron may not generate an action potential. The total input falls short of the threshold. The interaction between heredity and environment can be used to explain the development of schizophrenic disorder. The major areas in which biological factors could operate are in the genetic transmission of schizophrenia, neurotransmitter abnormalities, and brain abnormalities. Evidence strongly supports a genetic contribution to schizophrenia, probably involving more than one gene. The dopamine hypothesis argues that schizophrenia is caused by too much dopamine at critical synapses in the brain. The structure of the brain, the frontal lobe of the cortex is under active in people with schizophrenia. The Sociocultural Approach is that schizophrenia is reported more often in lower social classes, especially in urban areas. Poverty creates long-term stress. Aslo, people who are economically disadvantaged often find that their lives are controlled by other people, such as unreasonable boss or unsympathetic people in a welfare office. As a result, they may not have the opportunity to ta ke charge of their lives and cope effectively with stress. Two arguments in favor of using deception in research are as such: If researchers describe precisely what will happen during some studies, demand characteristics can distort the results and make them meaningless. Research participants rarely complain about deception in psychological research. Two arguments against using deception in research are as such: Researchers must keep in mind the important principle of respecting the dignity of other people. Also, researchers must avoid any research study that is likely to cause permanent harm to the participant. The roles played by hormones in the endocrine system are as follows: Hormones are chemicals released by the endocrine system, these hormones travel throu ...

See the Best Architecture in Spain

See the Best Architecture in Spain Think of architecture in Spain and Antoni Gaudà ­ comes to mind. Gaudi may be the most famous Spanish architect dead or alive, but dont forget Santiago Calatrava, designer of the Transportation Hub in Lower Manhattan and his signature bridges in Seville and Dallas, Texas. And what about the Pritzker Laureate, Josà © Rafael Moneo? Oh, and then there was the Roman Empire in Spain. Architecture in Spain is an exotic mix of early Moorish influences, European trends, and surreal modernism. These selected sites link to resources that will help you plan your architecture tour through Spain. Visiting Barcelona This northeast coastal city, capital of the Catalonia region, has become synonymous with Antoni Gaudà ­. You cant miss his architecture, or the new modern buildings going up every year. La Sagrada Familia, the great unfinished cathedral begun by Gaudi in 1882, and La Sagrada Familia school, for the children of the construction workersCasa Vicens, Gaudis Gothic/Moorish house designed for a Spanish businessmanGuell Palace and Guell Park, Gaudi commissions from patron Eusebi Gà ¼ellColegio Teresiano, one of Antoni Gaudà ­s first commissionsCasa Calvet, a rather traditional design for GaudiGaudi-designed wall around Finca Miralles, as wavy and abstract as Frank Gehrys workCasa Batllà ³, a very colorful remodeling job by Gaudi, is located in Illa de la Discordia or the Block of Discord. This street displays the architecture of Catalan architects Josep Puig (1867-1956), Lluà ­s Domà ¨nech i Montaner (1850-1923), and Gaudi (1852-1926).Gaudis La Pedrera, one of the most famous apartment buildings in the worldMontjuic Communications Tower, design by Spanish-born Santiago Calatrava for the 1992 Summer OlympicsAgbar Tower, French architect Jean Nouvel transformed Gaudis c atenary curve Barcelona Cathedral, the citys Gothic cathedralThe Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau and Palau de la Mà ºsica Catalana, both UNESCO world heritage sites, are designs of the art nouveau architect Lluà ­s Domà ¨nech i MontanerHotel Porta Fira, a 2010 hotel designed by Pritzker Laureate Toyo ItoThe Forum Building (Edificio Fà ³rum) designed by Herzog and de Meuron Visiting the Bilbao Area Guggenheim Bilbao, the 1997 museum that made American architect Frank Gehry very famousMetro Station Entrance Enclosure, Fosterito, a 1995 high-tech train station by English architect Norman Foster If youre visiting Bilbao, take a side trip to Comillas, 90 miles west. Everything youve ever heard about Gaudi architecture may be found in the surreal summer home El Capricho. Visiting the Leà ³n Area The city of Leà ³n is roughly between Bilbao and Santiago de Compostela, in the vast Castilla y Leà ³n region of northern Spain. Casa Botines, one of only three projects Antoni Gaudà ­ built outside Catalonia, is a large, neo-Gothic apartment building.San Miguel de Escalada, a magical medieval monastary from the 9th century, a short drive from Leà ³n near the famous pilgrimage route, Way of St. James. If youre traveling from Leà ³n southeast to Madrid, stop by the Church of San Juan Bautista, Baà ±os de Cerrato near the city of Palencia. Well-reserved from 661 AD, the church is a fine example of what is called Visigothic architecture- an era when nomadic tribes dominated the Iberian peninsula. Closer to Madrid is Salamanca. The Old City of Salamanca is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Rich in historic architecture, UNESCO sites its importance in Romanesque, Gothic, Moorish, Renaissance, and Baroque monuments. If youre headed north from Leà ³n, the ancient capital city of Oviedo is home to many early Christian churches. These Pre-Romanesque Monuments of Oviedo and the Kingdom of the Asturias from the 9th century are UNESCO World Heritage sites, along with La Foncalada, a public water supply, an early example of civil engineering. Visiting Santiago de Compostela City of Culture of Galicia, an ongoing project headed by Peter EisenmanCathedral of Santiago de Compostela, a pilgrims destination at the end of the Way of St. James Visiting Valencia City of Arts and Sciences, a complex of educational buildings by Santiago Calatrava Visiting the Madrid Area The Monastery at El Escorial, in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, about 35 miles northwest of Madrid, is a UNESCO world heritage site for its historic association with royaltyCaixaForum, a Madrid museum by Swiss architects Herzog and de MeuronRoman aqueduct, 50 AD, in Segovia, northwest of Madrid Visiting the Seville Area Alcazar PalaceAlamillo Bridge Cà ³rdoba, about 90 miles northeast of Seville, is site to the Great Mosque of Cordoba in the Historic Centre of Cordoba, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Mosque/Cathedral is an architectural hybrid, claims UNESCO, that joins together many of the artistic values of East and West and includes elements hitherto unheard-of in Islamic religious architecture, including the use of double arches to support the roof. Visiting Granada Ornamentation at the Alhambra in Granada, Spain. Sean Gallup/Getty Images (cropped) Travel east of Seville a mere 150 miles to experience the Alhambra Palace, a tourists destination not to be missed. Our Cruise expert has been to Alhambra Palace and our Spain Travel expert has been to The Alhambra in Granada. In Spanish language, visit La Alhambra, Granada. It seems that everyone has been there! Visiting Zaragoza About 200 miles west of Barcelona, youll find a pedestrian bridge over the Ebro River designed in 2008 by Pritzker Laureate Zaha Hadid. This modern bridge stands in stark contrast with the historic architecture of this ancient city.

Word Choice Causal vs. Casual - Writing Tips with Get Proofed!

Word Choice Causal vs. Casual - Writing Tips with Get Proofed! Word Choice: Causal vs. Casual Sometimes typos are obvious. If you write â€Å"teh† instead of â€Å"the,† for example, it’s easy to spot the error. Half the time your phone or computer will autocorrect it for you! But things get trickier with â€Å"causal† and â€Å"casual.† One keystroke out of place here and you get a completely different word. And since â€Å"causal† and â€Å"casual† are both proper words, you can’t rely on autocorrect to help you out. Luckily, then, we’re here to help out with our quick guide to how these words should be used. Causal (Related to Causation) â€Å"Causal† means â€Å"related to causation.† We use it when discussing relationships of cause and effect: Our study looks at the causal relationship between weather and mood. The key thing to remember with this word is that it’s always related to the cause of something. The â€Å"causal relationship† above, for example, refers to how weather affects how we feel. The weather today will start out gloomy, but by lunch it will be looking more upbeat. Casual (Informal or Relaxed) The word â€Å"casual† has a few different uses, but it usually refers to being informal, relaxed, or unconcerned about something. For example, we might say: To the casual observer, this wedding looked just like any other. Here, â€Å"casual observer† implies a non-expert or someone who is not paying close attention. We could also say: You can’t turn up to a wedding ceremony in casual clothes! In this case, â€Å"casual clothes† refers to jeans, trainers, or other informal clothing. If we can see your knees, youre dressed casually. A slightly different use is to mean â€Å"irregular† or â€Å"temporary,† such as when we talk about â€Å"casual work† (i.e., work without regular hours). Even this sense of â€Å"casual† draws on the idea of an informal or relaxed relationship, though, so it isn’t too far from the other uses outlined above. Causal or Casual? As you can see, â€Å"causal† and â€Å"casual† have very different uses. The good news is that this makes it easy to remember the difference. The bad news is that a minor typo could lead to a big error! The best way to avoid mistakes with these words is to proofread your work carefully. And remember: Causal = Related to causation Casual = Informal or relaxed

Gun Control Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Gun Control - Essay Example Gun violence has become very common these days and it is very important to get hard on gun crimes otherwise the situation will soon get out of hands. It is very important to get tough on gun violence because gun crime has increased at a significant rate in the recent past. People are using guns against each other in the US, hand guns can be found commonly and this is really a bad sign. It is also reported that most murders that take place in the US are carried out with the help of a firearm and in most cases it is a hand gun. â€Å"In 2005, 11,346 persons were killed by firearm violence and 477,040 persons were victims of a crime committed with a firearm. Most murders in the United States are committed with firearms, especially handguns.† (Gun Violence) These statistics are very alarming and it is more of a national issue, the recent statistics are even worse. It is really easy to get weapons and especially guns. It is very important to bring about a change and it should be done soon. It is important to ensure that people do not get their hands on these guns easily, it is sure to bring down the crime rate and especially gun violence. There must be stricter laws in place to ensure that people do not get easy access to arms, this is a certain way of bringing down gun violence. Gun control has always been a very debatable and a complex topic, law-abiding citizens are expected to follow the law but these days law has become a donkey on which the rich people ride.

Ergonomics Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ergonomics - Case Study Example Industries dealing with the usage of heavy machinery and involving direct interaction with the equipment that is hazardous can be properly handled through the principles of ergonomics. NIOSH is an acronym for National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. The Institute provides guidelines for safe working procedures in various disciplines, especially those fields where the use of physical exercise is directly involved. The incumbent organization provides necessary awareness about the kind of material to be used and it also identifies the material which might not add any value to the processes and human safety while working in industrial environment. The main purpose of this organization has been to reduce the injuries and make physical work safer and more enjoyable. Various devices have been introduced for the purpose of creating comfort in the organizational environment. Back belt is one of them, which has been used to a certain degree. The purpose of back belt is to reduce the stress that may be exerted on the body while performing activities during the operations. In an industrial environment, the workers are usually confronted with the lifting of heavy objects, leaning against them or sliding into the very narrow parts of the machine, for this purpose back belts provide sufficient resistance to the back. The usage of back belts is not just limited to the working environment, many athletes use them while lifting the heavy weight material, and even the deep sea divers use them to provide support against any sudden jerk that may be felt by the body. Back belts are worn for the purpose of reducing the chances of stress and injury to the body, however , on the contrary, research conducted in this regard by the administrative body, NOISH has shown that there is little effectiveness provided by these back belts, rather they squeeze up the body and limit the motion. While similar things were

Case Analysis Report Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Analysis Report - Case Study Example With reference to the case, it is observed that GMCR has established a business venture with Starbucks for K-Cup portion package of their coffee for use in ‘Keurig Single cup brewing technology’. The key players or officers as mentioned in the case study are Howards Schultz, the President, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chairman of Starbucks Corporation, Jeff Hansberry, President of Starbucks Global Consumer Products Group, the then CEO and President of GMCR Lawrence J. Blanford and Nigel Travis, the CEO of Dunkin Brands and President of Dunkin’ Donuts among others (Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, 2009). The current CEO and President of GMCR is Brian Kelly. The company’s total sales for the year 2012 were USD 3,859,198 and the total profit was USD 1,269,399 (Yahoo! Inc., 2013). One of the major events in the GMCR’s history was in the year 2006 when GMCR made acquisition of Keurig, a maker of single-cup brewing machines. Moreover, in the year 2010, the company’s stock rose to an all time highest figure, placing it in the number one position in the Best Corporate Citizen criteria. In 2011, GMCR’s decision to enter into a venture with Starbucks was another important phase of the company (Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, 2009). ... It has a wider reach to the customers created through joint venture with the top most coffee houses in the coffee industry. It is the only manufacturer of single brewer machine (Wile, 2013). Weaknesses The main factor which may be weakness for the company is its financial performance is dependent primarily on the sales of K-Cups. Increased cost and decreased of raw materials may have keen impact on the future production of the company (Wile, 2013). Opportunities Owing to the reason that GMCR is the only manufacturer which provides single serve brewing machines and K-Cup, its brand name is getting promoted with joint ventures formed with well known companies such as Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts resulting in attraction of more companies to form a venture with them (Wile, 2013). Threats With the new trend of globalization, the world has become a much smaller place and GMCR is facing significant competition from companies manufacturing similar products (Wile, 2013). SWOT Matrix An alysis Via Porter’s Five Forces Model Porter’s five force model is a business strategy tool used to analyze the value of an industrial structure, capturing the vital rudiments of competition. Threat of new entrants GMCR is the only company which provides a wide selection of coffee products, the number of competitors competing for the same section of customers and resources is limited. Thus, threat of new entry can be deemed to be low as the company possesses exclusive offerings which can be quite hard for new competitors to imitate (Vitalsource.com, 2013). Bargaining power of buyers GMCR, being the only manufacturer of K-Cup, has a large number of buyers resulting in quite limited bargaining influence by the customers having a positive impact on the company (Vitalsource.com, 2013).

System Operation Management Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

System Operation Management Project - Essay Example This incumbent’s role will involve analyzing individual situations and taking appropriate actions to ensure that customer needs and internal policies go in tandem with one another. Strong logical reasoning skills with analytical approach and basic knowledge of online money processing are presently found lacking. B) Products not fresh: - The Tip Top Market is a leading super market which provides a wide variety of products. But according to the analytical study, it is clear that the products which are being offered by the organization are not according to the customer needs. If the purity and freshness of the products is not given priority, this may lead to a customer turning hostile and moving towards other companies. So it is necessary to consider this as one of the key problems. C) Lack of appropriate storage facility: - Selecting the correct variety of production area and understanding the climatic and other environmental factors that affect the performance of a business is extremely important. Temperature, light intensity and quality are certain factors which are relevant to the storage decision. â€Å"Self-storage units are needed by residential customers for storage of personal items as well as by commercial customers for storage of stock. It is envisaged that 70% of the planned self-storage units will be taken up by the residential segment of the market and the remaining 30% will be directed toward the commercial segment.† (Self-storage Business Plans. Market Segmentation). D) Customer Relationship: - Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a broad term that is the concepts used by organization to manage their relationships with customers, including collecting, storing and customer information. Three aspects of CRM are- Operational CRM, Collaborative CRM, Analytical CRM. Operational CRM provides support to â€Å"Front office† business processes. Interaction with customers is a must. E) Charging High Price: - â€Å"Price† is

Contemporary media practices Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Contemporary media practices - Essay Example Inclusion in immersion indicates the way physical reality is shut out while its extensive characteristics indicate the various sensory modalities accommodated (Slater & Wilbur, 1997; Tavinor 2009, p.184). Immersion is regarded as a great experience in gaming and is considered in games, designers and researchers of games as an essential experience in interaction. The theory of immersion is perceived in many aspects but is generally employed in software when referring to the virtual reality of and games. Within the gaming context, immersion is considered to be essential because review on games indicate immersion is related to the reality of the game world or even the atmospheric sounds. Immersion is considered to have depth because the experience of immersion is essential in enjoying a game and is sustained or even destroyed by the characteristics of the game (Brown & Cairns, n.d). However, focusing on specific cases necessitates a thorough discussion with regard to the notion of immer sion that includes a player’s complete and total psychological identification with a character, immersion into the situation or story, a trance state, sharing of emotional bond with a character or even having similar reactions to events of play (Torner & White 2012, p.75). The different perceptions of meaning of immersion have generated conceptual confusion such that even observer promote simply abandoning it since what it obscures in more compared to what it reveals. Moreover, adoption of unexamined commonplace knowledge regarding the relationship between reality and game experience has been considered â€Å"immersive fallacy†. This is a way of considering the history of technologies of communications that takes it as inexorably and ideally leading to more powerful systems of simulation. Immersion’s conceptual elusiveness can be attributed to the

Please see the order instructions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Please see the order instructions - Essay Example helmets, ensuring ventilation, timing of work and machinery etc. forms of engineering controls include design and modification of machinery, providing ventilation systems etc. (Goetsch 120-250). There are majorly four modes of contaminants entry into a body: the first is ingestion where an individual ingests (eats or drinks) a chemical by accident. The second is inhalation where airborne contaminant e.g. fumes and vapors can be inhaled directly into the lungs. The third mode is absorption where a contaminant E.g. chemical powder, enters the body through skin openings and lastly injection where an individual may accidentally cut or step directly onto contaminated object thus injecting himself with a contaminant, for example a knife cut (Goetsch, 120-250). Threshold Limit value-Time-Weighted Average (TLV-TWA) means the average concentration of a chemical to which it is acceptable to expose a worker over a certain period of time usually 8 hours. Threshold Limit Value-Short Term Exposure Limit (TLV-STEL) means the maximum concentration that is recommended for a continuous 15-minute exposure time. Threshold Limit Value-Ceiling exposure value (TLV-C) means the limit exposure that should not be exceeded under any circumstances. Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) is a value approved by law that spells out the maximum time exposure allowed to a hazardous chemical (Oxford University). There are four classifications of environmental stressors and these include physical hazards caused by loud noise and vibrations, chemical hazards resulting from chemical burns and sprays, fumes and explosions, biological hazards caused by viruses, bacteria, vermin etc. and ergonomic hazards caused by tools and work conditions such lighting, ventilation etc. (Reese, 150-175). First, Employers are expected to train and provide information to employees of the classes of chemicals that

Contemporary media practices Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Contemporary media practices - Essay Example Inclusion in immersion indicates the way physical reality is shut out while its extensive characteristics indicate the various sensory modalities accommodated (Slater & Wilbur, 1997; Tavinor 2009, p.184). Immersion is regarded as a great experience in gaming and is considered in games, designers and researchers of games as an essential experience in interaction. The theory of immersion is perceived in many aspects but is generally employed in software when referring to the virtual reality of and games. Within the gaming context, immersion is considered to be essential because review on games indicate immersion is related to the reality of the game world or even the atmospheric sounds. Immersion is considered to have depth because the experience of immersion is essential in enjoying a game and is sustained or even destroyed by the characteristics of the game (Brown & Cairns, n.d). However, focusing on specific cases necessitates a thorough discussion with regard to the notion of immer sion that includes a player’s complete and total psychological identification with a character, immersion into the situation or story, a trance state, sharing of emotional bond with a character or even having similar reactions to events of play (Torner & White 2012, p.75). The different perceptions of meaning of immersion have generated conceptual confusion such that even observer promote simply abandoning it since what it obscures in more compared to what it reveals. Moreover, adoption of unexamined commonplace knowledge regarding the relationship between reality and game experience has been considered â€Å"immersive fallacy†. This is a way of considering the history of technologies of communications that takes it as inexorably and ideally leading to more powerful systems of simulation. Immersion’s conceptual elusiveness can be attributed to the

My personal response Essay Example for Free

My personal response Essay Personally I dont like Holmes as he comes off to me as an arrogant, self-absorbed person. When Roylott storms in and compares him to the police Holmes says Fancy his having the insolence to confound me with the official detective force Here he is saying that he is so much better than the police force and that he is stupid for comparing him to it. He is also very calm and not easily surprised as shown again when Roylott storms in, Sherlock answers him When you go out close the door, for there is a decided draught. He completely ignores the fact that Roylott is very angry,  Then there is Dr Roylott who is described as indulging in ferocious quarrels. , having a Violence of temper approaching to mania , being the Terror of the village and Absolutely uncontrollable in his anger Helen told Holmes of how he threw the local blacksmith into a stream, Roylott was portrayed as a very dangerous man. Conan Doyle wrote him well by building up a hate towards him that by the end when he died we have no sympathy for him just like Holmes. Lastly there is Helen Stoner who is petrified of Roylott and what she thought was impending death. When she arrives at Holmes residence she was shaking and when Holmes asked whether she was cold she replied It is not cold which makes me shiver, It is fear, Mr. Holmes. It is terror. She is very open with Holmes as I think she is really confused and just wants to know what happened to her sister as when Holmes says that he has a theory Helen gets very angry because he wont tell her. Sherlock Holmes is very good at maintaining interest and creating suspence mainly because he is very good with the language he chooses. Firstly Conan Doyle loves to use personification, stuff like It was a wild night, or gathering darkness this works as it adds a more personal feeling by writing actions or feelings which happens to us and linking them with objects.  He also uses mysteriousness about objects, animals or people just to get us hooked and we want to know more about it and it makes many questions in our heads which we want answered and we try to guess only to be surprised by the final twists and turns in the plot. When Conan Doyle sets the scene he uses many feelings and adjectives describing the place.  A moment later we were out on the dark road, a chill wind blowing in our faces, and one yellow light twinkling in front of us through the gloom to guide us on our sombre errand.  There was little difficulty in entering the grounds, for unrepaired breaches gaped in the old park wall.  This creates strong images in our head by using words like gaped and sombre with each individual word adds a little piece of the picture. Conan Doyle also adds strength to the picture by using strong versions of words like boomed and wild instead of weak words like called or rough.  My personal response to the book is that I didnt really enjoy the plot of the story but the way that Conan Doyle writes is amazing and it is blatant why he is so highly valued as a writer. I also enjoyed the way he described the settings and characters and used red herrings to have a big surprise twist at the end which was very thrilling reading.

Leadership Is A Relationship Education Essay

Leadership Is A Relationship Education Essay When it comes to this sentence: Leadership is a Relationship, we feel a bit puzzled. At first glance, such a topic sounds like a joke. Traditionally, the definition of leadership  is described as the process of  social influence  in ¼Ã…’which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task. But here, we must emphasize the relationship between leadership and relationship. Some people hold the opinion that leaders, like husbands or wives, occupy roles only as long as they are alive. (Is Leadership a Relationship? by Mitch McCrimmon, Ph.D., 2010) Leaders and leadership is a topic being discussed for a long time. The desire to call leadership a relationship is well intentioned. Generally speaking, leadership is a relationship because one cannot lead without followers. The very meaning of leadership, to some extent, is a relationship and the interaction between leaders and followers. Leadership is an ongoing relationship between the leader and superiors, leaders and colleagues, leaders and consumers, and especially between leaders and followers. (Leadership is the Relationship by Kenneth Rice, 2006) Now the concept of leadership is no longer conventional type, it isnt limited to fixed roles and whats more, group boundaries are breaking down. In my point of view, leadership cannot take effect alone. To put it another way, leadership needs the aid of relationship. Because the personal relationship defines the existing quality of interpersonal interaction between the leader and would-be followers, followers will not join the leader without the requisite relationship. Leadership is the relationship.(The 9 Natural Laws of Leadership P.12- by Blank, Warren, 1995) Without good relationship in a team, a leader, if not supported by his team members, he cant accomplish the task successfully. It is just like a war. Even the bravest General cannot win the battle by his own, because he is just a drop in the sea. Only when he commands and cooperates with his soldiers will it be possible to win. In fact, leading is more than a relational concept. It is a relational term, and it does not imply a personal relationship between people. Instead, it means that leadership is a relationship is based on confusion or a failure to understand how relational concepts work. There are too many outstanding leaders in the history around the world; I am just a small role. Leadership is an art. We can see the common points shining on those famous leaders: The speeches of Sir Winston Churchill showed his constancy of purpose; in 1863, General Pickett earned the trust of the soldiers he sent up the hill, though everyone knew they would die; Mohandas Gandhi was a pioneer of Nonviolent Protest, his views were the most enlightened of all the political men in 20th century; The influence from Martin Luther Kings I have a dream, witnessed great changes of the whole USAà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦It is well recognized that a qualified leader needs the skills as follows: Good Communication Skills; Good Motivation Skills; Adaptability; Know Your People; Work Delegation; Decision Making; Passion. I remember my first time to be a leader. I would like to exemplify the notion above by my own experience. It was an unforgettable summer. I joined a youth camp in a remote village as a volunteer teacher. There were tens of youngsters of my same age, and what we were going to do is teach the students in the school some basic knowledge of preventing AIDS. I was seldom a leader and I didnt have much experience and talent of being a leader before. I used to think that leader must be those who have strong power of public appeal and are bold and resolute in action. To my surprise, I was chosen to be a leader on the first day I arrived. At that moment, I was both excited and timid: I was afraid that I couldnt be a good leader, but it was really an opportunity for me to have a try. At first, I was too anxious to speak in front of the crowd. When I stood on the stage and said Hello to those kids, I shivered and couldnt utter more words. Students were aged around 10 years old, and they were curious as well as surprised. They couldnt imagine such a coward would be there leader, but of course, they couldnt imagine what this leader would bring to them in the following two weeks. Adaptability is the key to succeeding in our ever changing environment. I adapted to this new environment soon and I thought I could adapt to any unpredictable situation that may arise, too. There are two kinds of leaders; those who want to be liked and those who want to be respected.   If you are respected but not liked, your leadership might be wanted, but it will probably be short lived.   It is possible to be both respected and liked and we should strive for both. Building relationships is one of the most important things we do in life on a personal and professional level. (Leadership Through Relationships by Richard. R. Ramos, 2009) I knew that to get in touch with the students mush first become their friends. I was a leader, but I was like a friend more. I played with them, talked with them, shared jokes and funny experiences with them. We soon knew each other well. Though I was the teacher, I gave each of them equal opportunity to express what they thought. I encouraged them to air their own opinion. As a result, I also earned their respect and credibility. Trust is built on honesty and integrity. (The Essence of Leadership by Stever Robbins, 2003) To build trust, involvement and communication is the key contributor. I always believe in that What you say and what you do must match up. There are five trust techniques: Share thoughts, feeling and rationales; Make commitments you can make; Admit mistakes; Request and accept feedback; Test assumptions. I know that to respect and maintain self-esteem of my students sincerely is vitally important in the process of getting their trust. Every time when they got some accomplishments or made some contributions, I would recognize what they have done and praise them. Otherwise, I listened and responded to them with empathy to show my understanding of their feeling with attention, so they were all willing to talk to me and express their ideas. For some relatively inactive children, I asked them for their help and encouraged them to involve. I valued their opinions and ideas, I was willing to share credit for achievements, and I valued their personal performance more than the results. They soon became optimistic and positive, and are more willing to join us in various activities. A good communication skill is necessary for a leader to listen to the opinions of others, and quickly convey their thoughts. We became close friends, and this is a progress beyond leadership. If we say leadership is the matter of relationship, we can also say that relationship is the source of influence, which is the foundation of leadership. To put it another way, leadership can be defined in one word: Influence. Effective leadership needs influence, and in order to get influence, a strong relationship is needed. We cant deny that the essence of leadership is the art of influencing people. Relationship is the key mechanism for bringing out the best in people from the ordinary, both as individuals and teams. Also, this is the core purpose of leadership can only be achieved through strong relationships. (The Leadership Relationship: Building High-Impact Relationships by Corporate Master, A Division of Integral Master Center) Things went on smoothly. We not only taught children knowledge of AIDS but afterward sang songs and shared our outlook for the future. When the children were asked what are you going to do when you grow up, they have various answers. I remembered some girls said they wanted to be designers because they liked beautiful clothes; some boys who have special interest in architecture hoped to be engineers; some of them dreamt of being professors; but what impressed me most is a boy who desired to be a leader. Gradually, I had more topics with those children and I got their trust. At that time, I felt that perhaps being a leader is better than what I had perceived before. A leader is supposed to have a passion to perform. Being passionate about my work would empower me to find almost impossible solutions be it invention, discovery, or innovation. Also, to me and to my students, passion was one of the sources of our joy and fun. In our class and in our life, passion made us happy and optimistic. For me, as a so-called leader and a voluntary teacher, in addition to my colleagues, my students were also my workmates because I need their aid and cooperation in my job. My colleagues helped me with my lectures and students performance would give me more confidence. I devoted myself into being a leader and I tried my best to be a better leader. After a few days of getting together, those students trusted me and relied on me. Once I was able to give your personal touch to them, I found amazing benefits from these efforts. Their personal lives had a great impact on the each of them. We talked about interesting news, anecdotes and stories together. I was attached to my colleagues and my students. Trust was really the best thing which could give me a warm feeling as the sunshine in winter. We were just like a big family. I had never felt that kind sense of success as well as commitment. Relationship behavior is the extent to which the leader engages in two-way or multi-way communication. It includes listening, encouraging, facilitating, providing clarification, and giving socio-emotional support. (Jossey-Bass Higher and Adult Education Series by Bolman and Deal, 1997) I reminded myself that I was a leader every moment. I must set a good example in front of them so I behaved like a leader and played am exemplary role in my class. In the conversations with the children, I came to know their characteristics and their hobbies. They were really cute, frank, and innocent. Just as technical research and development is essential for continued excellence and a competitive edge, so mush coaching and development become the leaders focal point for leveraging the organizations human capital. Coaching is the process of equipping people with the tools, knowledge, and opportunities they need to develop themselves and become more effective. Coaching conversations involve finding out peoples vision or destination, where they are starting from, and the direction they need to move in order to get there. ( Coach and Develop People by Gebelein, S.H., Stevens, L.A., Skube, C.J., Lee, D. G., Davis, B.L., Hellervik, L.W. Successful Managers Handbook. 6th ed. Minnesota: Personnel Decisions International Corporation. 2000.369-396) Development is vitally important in acquiring the skills and learning the knowledge needed to achieve the goals. I know that the role of a leader is also to be a coach. In order to equip them with more knowledge they couldnt learn from the textbook, I brought then to the park, to the field, and went picnic in the open air. I told them how to observe an insect or a butterfly; I taught them how to draw an oil painting; we played basketball together and competed with each otherà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Coaching forged our partnership, which was another example proving that Leadership is relationship, and in other words, this was one of the sources our trust came; coaching inspired commitment of me and the students; coaching grew my managing skill and their learning skills, too; coaching promoted persistence of each one and finally shaped the environment we enjoyed this harmonious environment very much. Whats more, coaching is a continuous process rather than an occasional conversation, so we kept practicing during my stay with them. But things have gone wrong sometimes. In the last few days before the youth camp came to the end, we had prepared for a welfare party. I arranged a chorus for the students and rehearsed for them time by time, day by day. For these kids, rehearsal was the most boring thing in the world and they got tired soon. They rejected and tried to give up, which disappointed me very much. I was so desperate because I felt that the time and toil I paid was futile and would never reward. I tried hard to persuade and comfort them. However, nothing had a turn for the better; instead, they were more impatient and even shouted to me. I was helpless and sad. I recalled every picture that left impression in my brain but it didnt work at all. I was totally disappointed: They were my dearest but they even didnt respect me. I doubted my ability of management as a leader: I didnt succeed in managing a group of children well, let alone other adults. I tried hard to keep myself calm but things went worse. Tho se kids seemed pay no attention to me and made me more distressed. Consequently, I got angry and raged. I had never been so furious that I pounded the table angrily with a great thump. At this moment, those clamorous kids were shocked and astonished and kept silent immediately. There was not a bit voice. The whole classroom seemed isolated and time seemed to have ceased. I didnt know what they were thinking and I was not sure if they were scared of me or repented of what they had done. It was the worst memory in the process of being a volunteer teacher, but when I reflect it now, I came to realize that it was this bad experience that made me grow more mature. It was clear that I needed to implement the essential ingredients of effective persuasion: I knew and concerned their perspectives; I considered my position from every angle; I listened to them actively and patiently; I shared solution with them and tried to make it better; and what more, I insisted that communication do make changes. So I still believed that a leader should not give up first. I am a leader. I told myself at the bottom of my heart. After about one minute, I asked them, Is there anyone want to quit? Nobody answered. If anyone wants to quit now, you can stand out and tell me. Still nobody answered. I continued, Yes, the rehearsal, it is indeed a piece of tiring work. But if you insist staying in our group, please do your best or you will let us down, let yourself down. Those children were upset. One of them asked me in a low voice, It is so boring. We dont want to play it. Maybe it was the rehearsal that deprived them of their leisure. I stopped for a moment, anxiously thinking of this problem. No one knows how hard I struggled in my mind. I pondered for a while, and explained slowly to them, Only when we spare no effort and try our best will the rehearsal be successful. Only when we encounter difficulty and sweats will the result be satisfying. I hoped that every one of you will perform the best in the welfare party. But at present, there is still much to be improved. And I continued, Listen, my dearest kids, now we must believe that we are the strongest and we can be the best! I have full confidence on all of you! Some of them nodded their heads. A leader is the one not only commands and leads toward the victory but the one who comforts and encourages team mates when the morale of the troops is sinking low. Most of them stood and listened with their heads low, but their eyes were filled with a desire to success. One girl approved me, Yes, you are right. I think I didnt sing well enough. I will definitely work harder. Do you believe in yourselves? I asked them, and embraced them. Yesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Though their voice was low, I could still hear their courage and persistence. How about having fun when we finished the performance in welfare party? Then I will cook you delicious food to celebrate! I added. They seemed much satisfied. Her words were like ripples and most children expressed their agreement. They promised that they would exert themselves and never be on strike again. Some of them even proposed to play an important role in the chorus. I gave them a big smile and so did they. The crisis had gone and our trust came back again. Have a good rest, guys! This is the end of todays rehearsal, but tomorrow we must train harder. I reminded them. I rewarded each one of them an ice cream and of course, they were pleased and contented. Leaders require many skills in managing relationships, such as communication, interaction, crisis management, etc. The purpose of the relationship is not only to manage team mates in a good order but also to give each person the opportunity to grow and to contribute to his or her fullest potential and whats more, to build strengths in the midst of differences. According to my students strength and characteristics, I divided them into three groups in the chorus so that each one of them can achieve their best. Every time they rehearsed, I accompanied them, recorded and played to attain improvement. I couldnt do everything on my own. This was our combined effort. I also needed to give personal responsibility of the work to my students individually, and then keep track of their progress regularly. I found this process interesting and rewarding: They were like young trees and I was just the gardener. I saw them sprout, grow and bloom. After many days of cultivation, the day of farewell party would be the day these young trees fruit. Frankly speaking, it is of the utmost importance for me to motivate them to accomplish objectives. A real leader utilizes the most efficient approach for doing this leading by setting an excellent example. Behind the scene, my students seemed anxious. In fact, I was the most anxious one. I concealed my emotion of anxiety. They constantly asked me, Is my clothes tidy? or Am I look good? I gave each of them smile and some encouraging words. You look superb! Come on, your performance is fantastic! Gradually, these words had positive effect on me, too. I was encouraged by my words: I should be sure that they would be the most confident and competent team! Before the performance, I gave each one of them a hug. The whole class embraced together and made a nice wish. Then they step on the stage confidently. They were so calm and devoted in the spot lights. The melody impressed every audience and finally the whole auditorium was filled with applause. They had made it! That was the most wonderful performance they ever had! They were so excited and they ran toward me and hug me tightly. Leadership is a relationship and an act of influence as well as an impact. Albert Einstein once said, We should take care not to make the intellect our god; it has, of course, powerful muscles but no personality. It cannot lead; it can only serve. I used to presume that leadership is just for people at the top but I realized I was wrong.  In fact, every one of us can learn to lead by discovering the potential that lies within ourselves, in order to make a difference of our life. After two weeks, I had to go back to my city and continued my life and study. Those kids were all reluctant to see me leave. They held me tightly, and some of them even cried. Some students called me even Professor to express their affection and thanks for me. I got many presents made by their own: paper flowers, pictures, chocolates, candies, and cards. Though cheap, they were exquisite and meaningful. At that moment, every scene and every moment we spent together was shown in my head again and again. I recalled everything from the first day I came to the last day I left. I didnt quite understand if this was power of leadership at that time, but there must have been something changed. When I reflected this experience after learning this course, I gradually realized it was myself who has changed. I changed from a student without any experience of being a leader to a real leader! Leadership is like wine, only when time passes will it be the finest and the best. Being a leader is absol utely a difficult thing; it is never a piece of cake. However, the feeling of being a leader is extraordinary and terrific, though sometimes it was great pain and stress. I felt that the new me is more courageous and confident; maybe it is because this volunteer experience has taught me a lesson and refined my soul. If we say Leadership is relationship, I am sure that my leadership experience has won me not only relationship but also friendship, which has more profound meaning than only relationship. The students became my friends. They gave me beautiful memory. To me, leadership is applicable to all facets of my own life and they are all beneficial: With the development of my self- awareness and confidence, I can gradually expand our perspective with a competency; I focus more on a goal and set the context of it; I understand the dynamics of human behaviors; I take the initiative to be the real me. Generally, leadership development is not an event.  Rather, it is a constant process. On one hand, leadership excellence is one of the most critical challenges facing not only organizations but small groups or individual nowadays. Leadership is not an easy job, so does to be a great leader. It requires commitment, talent, effort, guidance, and a most difficult thing charisma. There is no doubt that leaders will face a great deal of pressure, which can be quantified. Nevertheless, after accomplishing a great mission or task together with those followers, a sense of achievement and fulfillment is more important than the actual rewards. On the other hand, when we say leadership is relationship, that means relationship has profound influence in todays society, too. I emphasize that the relationship here has nothing to do with bribery and corruption. I truly with that the competition is equal enough. We can safely draw a conclusion that nowadays, especially in a competitive society, no one can battle alone. A wise leader with a strong organization as his or her supporters is more prone to succeed. Only if everyone in the team or organization is supposed to exert his or her utmost effort will it be possible that they have a happy end. In all, to be a volunteer teacher in the village left me a valuable fortune. This was my precious experience that worth remembering all my life. I tasted the sweetness and the bitterness in the short two weeks. Though there were difficulties and crisis in this process, I won the respect and built firm relationship with my students. Leadership is relationship, it is true. I did what a leader was supposed to do, and I had no regret at all. Those students have been my greatest friends because they also taught me a valuable lesson. This was my first time to be a leader, but I have learnt a lot from this experience. What I should do is keep self-improving and never give up. I am still on my way to learning to be a good leader. On this way, there are still a lot of obstacles and much to learn. References: Leadership is the Relationship by Kenneth Rice (2006) Is Leadership a Relationship? by Mitch McCrimmon, Ph.D. (May 2010) The 9 Natural Laws of Leadership P.12- by Blank, Warren (1995) Jossey-Bass Higher and Adult Education Series by Bolman and Deal, (1997) Coach and Develop People by Gebelein, S.H., Stevens, L.A., Skube, C.J., Lee, D. G., Davis, B.L., Hellervik, L.W. Successful Managers Handbook. 6th ed. Minnesota: Personnel Decisions International Corporation. 2000.369-396) The Essence of Leadership by Stever Robbins (2003) The Leadership Relationship: Building High-Impact Relationships by Corporate Master, A Division of Integral Master Center Leadership Through Relationships by Richard. R. Ramos, 2009

Analysis of the Impact of Oil Prices on the Global Economy Essay

1. Introduction The price of oil becomes the bone of contention recently. Oil price seems to be hitting new highs with the regularity of a metronome. It is a bad news for customers who have to pay more on it. More frightening still, this situation may get worse before it come back to normal. No one can exactly predict when the pendulum will soon swing back again since all uncertain factors existing. From the supply side of view, the OPEC is the main producer, being prepared to add or subtract production to balance demand. Moreover, Russia is another major producer of oil in the world. They usually produce more when demand more and subtract when demand reduce to control the price of oil. Anyway, speculator is another factor we have to consider in short run. From demand side of view, every country is trying to reduce the consumption on petroleum, the government use tax strategy to control the oil price. Further more, government strategic oil reserves have to be considered as a factor which causes oil supply shortage. Next, let ¡Ã‚ ¦s discuss in detail how the demand and supply relation affect the price of oil. 2. Microeconomic Analysis 2.1 Analysis of Market Form There are not so many oil producers in the world; the countries that produce most of the world ¡Ã‚ ¦s oil have formed a cartel, which called Organization of Petrolum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Those countries controlled about three-quarters of the world ¡Ã‚ ¦s oil reserve. Within the OPEC countries, they tries to raise the price of its product through reducing in quantity produced and OPEC tries to set production levels for each of the member countries. From this point of view, oil market belongs to oligopoly which only a few sellers offer similar or identical products. In this form, the producers produce a quantity of output greater than the level produced by monopoly and less than the level produced by competition. The oligopoly price is less than the monopoly price but greater than the competitive price. Therefore, supply and demand theory can be applied in oligopoly form of market. 2.2. Supply and Demand Analysis 2.2.1 Oil Supply Analysis Supply refers to both the ability to sell and the willingness to sell by the producer. Actually, many factors can determine the quantity and individual supplies ¡Xinput prices, technology, expectations. The quantity supplied rises as the price rises and f... ...by tax. When the oil price goes up, the government will tax more on fuel, vice versa. Therefore, it will benefit the domestic consumers. Other factor is the Iraq influence, political unrest can leave the world without enough oil to go round. 3. Conclusion There are too many uncertainties existing in the world oil price. According to the analysis, the price may keep going up due to the shortage of supplies and increasing of demand without considering the speculators factor in short-run. In long-run, the oil price will definitely go down. On the other hand, the price may be peaked already. This will result of the speculators unloading their oil inventories, causing prices to fall sharply. Reference: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://blondesense.blogspot.com/2005/04/crude-futures-crudely-exploited.html 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  kjhj 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A titanic struggle between supply and demand, http://www.occupationwatch.org/analysis/archives/2005/04/a_titanic_strug.html (visited on 29th, April) 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Oil and the Economy, http://www.federalreserve.gov/boarddocs/speeches/2004/20041021/default.htm 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Time for OPEC to plump up its cushion, http://www.economist.com/agenda/displayStory.cfm?story_id=3759213

Anorexia and Bulimia Essay -- Causes of Bulimia Nervosa, Anorexia

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bulimia Nervosa [also known as Bulimia] is a very serious and dangerous eating disorder. The disorder can be describe as bingeing and then followed by purging or a person who eats a large amount of food in short periods of time and then vomits after eating to prevent on gaining the weight cause by the food. There is different ways of going about ways to prevent the weight gain, making oneself throw up, taking pills, or laxatives which will increase how fast the food will move through your body, exercising excessively, eating a little amount or not at all, or taking other pills to pass urine This disorder is mostly between the ages of 15 and 35, even if they have no specific food disorders. Studies made in Europe and USA have underlined the fact that roughly 10% of women in this age bracket say they and provoke vomiting occasionally 2% vomit once or more per week. This disorder is most commonly found in girls and in their late teen years, but that’s not to s ay it does not happen to boys it does but it is very rare. With a person who has bulimia it is very hard to tell by their appearance because when you have Bulimia you look average weight or just below it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This disorder is split up into 3 different illnesses they all have a lot in common but also have differences. The first type is Simple, simple bulimia nervosa usually affects girls at age 18 years old. The cause for this illness is under confident about oneself but come from good backgrounds. This illness is usually triggered by a short time of depression, such as a break up with a boyfriend. The girls who have simple bulimia nervosa have had a normal life as made friends normally and then they will have the short depression period and they will learn to hate themselves and their appearance. Usually diets start to boost up ones self esteem and then they cheat during the diet and vomiting will occur after eating. This form of bulimia is the least out of all 3 forms severe. But that is not to say that the girls who do this don’t progress into worst conditions. Another form of the disorder is Anorexic Bulimia Nervosa this is almost a mixture between Anorexic a nd Bulimia. It starts off as just a brief period of anorexic and then when that is over the sufferer recovers the illness by a short period of stabilized weight... ... and mental health professionals come in to help the patient recover. In different cases of the disorder family therapy is the best way to help overcome the disorder and helps eat healthy again. The family has a big effect on the sufferer and has to help the person realize that there body shape if perfectly fine and doesn’t need to be thin to make anyone happy. There is always Clinics that may help treat the disorder, the treatment is structured and controlled so that they have to eat in a better and healthier way. If there is no desire and hospitalizing is not necessary for the sufferer then there is the choice of outpatients by having weekly visits to a therapist and sometimes needs psychotherapy for the medicine, which can be more effective in worst cases. These disorders should not be left alone or untreated they can damage the body and soul and if left untreated the disorder can kill and at the best leave you looking terrible and feeling worse. These disorders may hel p you lose weight or not let you gain any, but in the long run it can seriously harm one and not only do these disorders affect the sufferer it also affects the people around them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Significamt Health Care Event

Significant Health Care Event Violet Sowell HCS/ 531 Feburary 4, 2013 Regina Phelps Significant Health Care Event In the paper the topic to be discussed is a significant healthcare event. There are many events that have an impact on healthcare. The significant event that will be discussed in more detail is managed care. The main points to be discussed in further details are how managed care relates to the changes in health care, has managed care impacted the historical evolution of health care, and based on beliefs and values do I agree with managed care’s significance.To fully understand the significant health care event managed care first needs to be defined. According to Shi, L. , & Singh, D. (2012), â€Å"Managed care is a system of health care delivery that seeks to achieve efficiencies by integrating the four functions of health care delivery discussed earlier, employs mechanisms to control (managed) utilization of medical services, and determines the price at which the services are purchased and, consequently, how much the provides get paid† (P. 8). Managed Care Relating to the Changes in Health CareHealth care costs are rising significantly throughout the years. In the 1990s rising cost in managed care grew rapidly resulting in consumers to keep up with these rising costs. Individuals who are paying health care insurance out of pocket are struggling to pay these costs. Conklin, T. stated, â€Å"Managed care-on the other hand-reflects a significant change in doing business that gradually reached most areas of the health care arena† (2002). With the changes in health care costs hospital admissions are reducing, increase of ambulatory care, out-patient surgeries, and home care (Conklin, T, 2012).Individuals’ deductibles and co-pays are increasing in result of managed care. There are many struggles that health providers face when working in managed care. Raiz, I. A. (2006), â€Å"The experiences of mental health providers workin g in managed care settings have paralleled those of providers working in the general health care field, as both are affected by market place trends† (P. 2). Different health providers are affected by the changes in managed care in one way or the other. Managed Care’s impact on Historical Evolution of Health CareI believe that that managed care impacted the historical evolution of health care. When managed care was developed in the United States the main purpose was to improve medical care outcomes as well as efficiency. Westert, G. P. , â€Å"During the second half of the twentieth century, managed care developed in the United States as a mechanism for constraining the growth of health care costs by controlling the delivery system† (2005). The federal government decided to offer managed care options through Medicare because of the growing expenses that the elderly have to through Medicare.Westert, â€Å"Reductions in health care utilization brought about by mana ged care in the western United States have been adopted in other areas of the nation and the world† (2005). After the increase of managed care through the 1980’s and 1990’s as well as the twentieth century managed care began to decline. The association between the plans and the health care providers began to weaken in the United States when dealing with managed care. Once managed care began rising in cost consumers and providers decided to look elsewhere. Managed care began to change so that the health care providers and consumers come back to use the plans.When managed care began to decline the increase of insurance deductibles for employee offered by the employers. Agreeing with Managed Care’s Significance based on beliefs and values Based on my beliefs and values I personally agree on managed care’s significance. Managed care has had up and downs throughout the years. The federal government has changed managed care to help the consumers and provi ders to ensure efficiency and effectiveness for the patient’s. Managed care offers employers the chance to raise deductibles in order to lower insurance premiums. ConclusionManaged care has made an impact on the evolution of health care beginning with the decline of health care cost to the increase in these costs. Managed care has been changed over the years to better improve the plans for consumers and providers. The federal government is working to find way to improve health care costs for the consumers so that the costs are affordable. References Conklin, T. P. (2002). Health Care in the â€Å"United States: An evolving system. Families & HealthCare. Vol. &, no. 1, Fall 2002. Retrieved from http://hdl. handle. net/2027/spo. 919087. 0007. 102 Riaz, I. A. (2006). The effect of managed care on professional psychology. Spalding University). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, , 132-132 p. Retrieved fromhttp://search. proquest. com/docview/304917965? accountid=35812. (304917965 ). Shi, L. , & Singh, D. (2012). Delivering health care in America: A system approach. (5th ed). Boston, Ma: Jones and Bartlett. Westert, G. P. (2005). Current and future developments in managed care in the United States and implications for Europe. Retrieved from http://www. health-policy-systems. com/content/3/1/4